References
Wearable cuffless blood pressure monitoring devices: a commentary
Abstract
Hypertension is a growing public challenge as a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Reducing overall cardiovascular risk through early screening, initiation of treatment and ongoing monitoring remains a priority in the comprehensive management of hypertension and its complications. Community nurses are ideally positioned to play a crucial role in the early detection of hypertension and providing support for its management. Wearable cuffless devices have the potential for continuous remote blood pressure monitoring. However, there is not enough literature on the validity and usability of wearable cuffless blood pressure devices to justify their use in clinical practice. This commentary critically appraises a systematic review designed to assess the validity, features and clinical usability of wearable cuffless devices, and expands on its findings and their relevance to community nursing and future research.
Globally, hypertension is the leading preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality (Mills et al, 2020). Hypertension accounts for over 10.8 million premature deaths worldwide (Vaduganathan et al, 2022). In 2021, the all-cause disability-adjusted life years due to hypertension were 2770 per 100 000 (Vaduganathan et al, 2022). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that 1.3 billion adults between 30 and 79 years of age have hypertension. Furthermore, approximately 46% of hypertensive patients are unaware that they have the condition and less than half (42%) are diagnosed and treated (WHO, 2023). Among those with hypertension, more than half have additional cardiovascular risk factors (Unger et al, 2020).
Community nurses often identify the issue (Clark et al, 2000). Previous studies have shown that community nurses are well placed to provide effective education and support to improve patient adherence to remote blood pressure monitoring (Artinian et al, 2007; Cooper and Zimmerman, 2017; Simonetti et al, 2021).
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